Blog & in the News
In our constant effort to bridge the gap between reading research and teacher practice, Really Great Reading is excited to bring you our blog. Here we will dig deep into phonemic awareness, phonics concepts, sight words, word attack skills, accurate reading, spelling, fluency, and vocabulary.
A Fresh New Look to Fuel Our Dedication to the Science of Reading
Our new look isn’t just about aesthetics—it’s about renewing our 20-year mission to deliver evidence-based literacy solutions that spark student success.
Read more about fresh rebrand coming soon to RGR.
Top 10 Reasons to Teach the Science of Reading in Summer School
The science of reading is an evidence-based approach to teaching that focuses on the cognitive processes involved in reading. By teaching lessons aligned with the science of reading in summer school, you can help students develop a strong foundation in the skills and strategies that are essential for becoming successful proficient readers.
Learn nine more reasons to teach the Science of Reading in Summer School.
What Are the Five Pillars of Reading?
How can we teach all students to read accurately, rapidly, and with comprehension by the end of third grade? We can use the five essential components of reading instruction, known as the Five Pillars of Reading. The National Reading Panel, using decades of research identified five critical areas of reading instruction.
Learn more about the Five Pillars of Reading.
What Is the Science of Reading?
The Science of Reading is a body of research that incorporates insights and research from disciplines that include developmental psychology, educational psychology, cognitive science, and cognitive neuroscience. The science of reading has demonstrated the methods that best help children learn to read, from the earliest steps in spoken language to being able to successfully decode unfamiliar words.
Learn more about the Science of Reading.
Make Tricky Sight Words Sticky - Free Heart Word Magic Video & Activities
Did you know that literate adults have a library of 30,000 to 70,000 words they can read automatically, accurately, and effortlessly? These words are considered “sight words” because we instantly recognize them by sight. This library of sight words is called your "orthographic lexicon" or “sight word memory."
Learn how to teach sight words and make them sticky.
What's the Difference Between Phonological Awareness & Phonemic Awareness?
Phonological awareness and phonemic awareness are not only fun to teach, they are essential to proficient word recognition and decoding. Do you know why phonological awareness and phonemic awareness activities are important in pre-K literacy and beyond?
Learn all about phonological awareness and phonemic awareness.
What is Scarborough's Reading Rope?
In 2001, Dr. Hollis Scarborough created the Reading Rope using pipe cleaners to convey how the different “strands” of reading are all interconnected yet independent of one another. For many students, learning to read is a challenge. Scarborough's Rope captures the complexity of learning to read.
Learn all about Scarborough's Reading Rope is made up of lower and upper strands.
What Are the 6 Layers of Phonemic Awareness - Improve Reading Using Your Ears?
Reading With Your Ears? What if we told you that you could improve your students’ ability to read unfamiliar words without showing them a single printed letter? As crazy as it sounds, it’s true! Phonemic Awareness is the awareness of and ability to manipulate the individual sounds (phonemes) in spoken words (Kilpatrick, 2015).
Learn how you can teach your kids to read using their ears.
What are the Top Five Reasons To Teach Vocabulary?
Research has shown that we need to understand at least 98% of the words we read to understand what we are reading. Improving vocabulary skills will improve comprehension of novels and textbooks. Young people are reading less and are failing to build vocabulary amid a sea of digital media.
Learn why it is so important to teach vocabulary.
What Is Structured Literacy?
The International Dyslexia Association originated the term structured literacy. It encompasses a science-based, structured approach to literacy instruction. It provides explicit, systematic, engaging, multisensory, and developmentally appropriate instruction.
Learn about the teaching principles of structured literacy.
Top 3 Strategies for English Learner's Literacy Instruction
In today's diverse classrooms, teachers are tasked with ensuring that all students' needs are met, including those of English Learners. One powerful approach to supporting ELs is leveraging what students already know to facilitate the acquisition of English literacy skills.
Learn how teachers can create a supportive and inclusive learning environment.
Mayor Unveils Program to Address Dyslexia in N.Y.C. Schools
"The mayor, who has dyslexia himself, would open two new schools, train teachers, and direct schools to use phonics-based lessons as a way to address a literacy crisis in the city." "Officials will require principals to choose from a handful of phonics-based curriculums to include as part of their comprehensive reading programs, such as ... Really Great Reading, said Ms. Quintana."
Read the full article in the New York Times.
What Is Dyslexia?
Dyslexia is a learning difference that impacts an individual's ability to read, write, and spell despite receiving adequate instruction and having average or above-average intelligence. It is a lifelong journey that primarily impacts language processing skills, particularly in the areas of reading and spelling.
Learn how dyslexia impacts learning.
Dyslexia Resources
To remediate and support dyslexia you need an approach that contains critical, evidence-based components of phonics for dyslexia instruction. Our explicit, systematic, engaging, multisensory, and developmentally appropriate programs teach students the key skills they need to become efficient and accurate decoders.
Learn about what dyslexia resources are available.
